Fresh from the Hill: Inside Stories of Noteworthy Cornellians

In the sixth of the CLAA Series for the Fresh from the Hill Podcast, CLAA board members interview the 2023 MacArthur ‘genius grant’ recipient, Manuel Muñoz, MFA ‘98. In his writing, Muñoz draws on his roots growing up in a Mexican-American family of farmworkers in California’s Central Valley to explore the impacts of racial politics and limited economic opportunities in this region. He tells the stories of a wide spectrum of people, including mothers and sons, U.S.-born citizens and immigrants, young gay men and teenage parents. Manuel details how his academic work at Harvard lead to him teaching young minds in Boston and how that experience led him to pursue a Master of Fine Arts at Cornell. Manuel details how mentors like Helena Maria Viramontes shaped his love for writing and his appetite for short stories. Muñoz, who is professor of English at the University of Arizona, has published three story collections, “Zigzagger” (2003), “The Faith Healer of Olive Avenue” (2007), and “The Consequences” (2022), as well as the novel “What You See in the Dark” (2011). He received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1994. Plug into this episode as our hosts connect the landscape of topics with one of the luminaries in the novelist world! Read the ⁠episode transcript⁠. Hosted by Freddy Terrazas Escamilla MHA '19. Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

We're taking a little break from our regularly scheduled series to feature the winners of the 2023 Robert S. Harrison '76 Recent Alumni Volunteer Award, which celebrates the service of a new generation of alumni volunteers and honoring Harrison’s long-standing commitment to Cornell. Harrison served as a student trustee from 1975 to 1976, launching what would become nearly five decades of service to the university. Tune into this special episode hosted by Cornell Association of Class Officers (CACO) president Julie Vultaggio '02 and learn about the winners -- their backgrounds, what inspires them to volunteer for Cornell and what advice they have for recent alumni looking to stay connected post-graduation. The 2023 Robert S. Harrison '76 Recent Alumni Volunteer Award Winners: Vernice Arahan ’14 Julia Buffinton ’14 Kamillah Knight ’13, MPA ’15, MBA ’22 Olivia Moore Nicoletti ’12 Kai Lin Tan ’15 Read the ⁠episode transcript⁠. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson '97 takes on our fifth episode of the CLAA series. Mary Carmen charts her path from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico and how it took a chance bet for her to apply to Cornell. She talks about the community she built with folks like Kety during Summer/Fall of 1993 with COSEP as well as some of the struggles she had with English as she was making the transition in the first couple years of school. She then speaks to her drive as a young chemical engineer whose turn in Marketing shifted and elevated her career to where she is at today as Chief Marketing officer of Pandora. Read the ⁠episode transcript⁠. Hosted by Kety Esquivel '97. Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Eduardo Peñalver is our next esteemed guest for the fourth episode of the CLAA series. During the discussion, Eduardo tracks his early life from a farm town in the Pacific Northwest, to being thrust as the leader of the Day Hall Takeover. He speaks to some of the awkwardness of being the point person to the Takeover, while receiving a Rhodes scholarship (wow!) just a few days later. He then moves into how he transitioned a successful law career into academia, including some time at Cornell as a professor and dean, before heading into his current role as President of Seattle University. Please join us for this lively conversation. Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Kety Esquivel '97. Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Kety Esquivel '97 headlines the third episode of the CLAA series as we dive into the Day Hall Takeover. During the discussion, Kety discusses her path to Cornell and sets the scene as a young first-year student entering Cornell in the Summer/Fall of 1993 with COSEP. She then explores the celebration of several exhibits focused on Latino culture and the devastation in seeing the Revalaciones/Revelations Exhibits by Daniel J. Martinez defaced with discriminatory remarks and how the students turned that anger into action. Kety closes the discussion out with reflections on the successes and the room we still have to go, today. Read the ⁠episode transcript⁠. Hosted by Joseph De Los Santos MHA '19 Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Ana Pinczuk headlines the second episode of the CLAA series and is the first Board of Trustees member interviewed. Ana is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Dexterity, Inc. and serves on the boards of Aptiv and SentinelOne. Throughout her career, Ana has worked for AT&T, Cisco Systems, Veritas Technologies, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Ana discusses her path to Cornell which started from her upbringing in Argentina as she and her family fled to the United States due to a coup d’etat in her native country. Ms. Pinczuk shares with the group how that experience and the impact it had on her family provided her with the needed grit and perspective to excel in Ithaca. Ana holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and she also holds degrees from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University. Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Joseph De Lost Santos MHA '19 Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

How long have Latinos been at Cornell? Is there a story to tell about the LatinX community at this Ivy League University and its involvement in grassroots activism and the Board of Trustees? How has the Latine community contributed to Cornell’s commitment to any person, any study over the University’s 158 years? Join Cornell Latino Alumni Association at large board members Joseph De Los Santos MHA '19 and Freddy Terrazas Escamilla MHA '19 and Vice President Kety Esquivel '97 as they discuss the upcoming CLAA Series on the Fresh from Hill Cornell podcast. Over this limited series the trio interview key Latino/Latina alumni and Board of Trustees members while discussing key events in CLAA history at Cornell.   Put your earbuds in and join us for this first episode where Kety, Joseph, and Freddy walk through their background, their decision to attend Cornell, and the impact that the university has had on their lives and careers. We welcome all students, alumni, family and friends of the university to hear how CLAA has had an impact on Cornell since some of the first classes graduated from the University.  Read the ⁠episode transcript.⁠ Fresh from the Hill was created by Amanda Massa. The CLAA episodes were edited and recorded by Joseph De Los Santos, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla, and Kety Esquivel. Intro music, which that incorporates the sound of the coqui, a frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, by Leonard Washington & Joseph De Los Santos. Closing music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

We've all likely heard the story. A Cornell senior saves a man from a New York City subway. But have you heard his story? Well today is your chance. Hear from Bryce Demopoulos about stepping up and giving back and the importance of taking advantage of everything Cornell has to offer - both inside and outside your major. "It's the small moments that add up. It's the small moments that I'm going to miss a lot after I leave." Episode recorded March 21, 2023. Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Sydney Mann '18. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, ⁠koa3@cornell.edu⁠. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

The 2023 Alumni Trustee Election is officially OPEN so what better time to learn about what it means to be an alumni elected trustee and why YOU should vote?! Check out this year's ballot and make your voice heard! ___________________________________________________________ What does it take to be on Cornell’s Board of Trustees? Four Cornell degrees? Not necessarily. But Doug Mitarotonda’s decade plus (yep! undergrad, two masters’ and a PhD) as a Cornell student gives him a unique perspective on the Board. Tune in to hear his journey from student to Trustee and why you should vote for your next alumni-elected trustee. Learn about the candidates and cast your vote today! Read the episode transcript. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Wonder how someone who aspired to be an English professor eventually became a successful woman in comedy? Listen in to find out! Alison Leiby '06 has covered the gamut in comedy. From standup to TV writing for shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Broad City, to her one woman show Oh God, a Show About Abortion, Alison Leiby '06 has some advice about carving your path in an industry you never considered. "When you're an undergrad, you shouldn't know what you want to do," says Alison. "Just try the things. Try and do them. Take the classes that are interesting to you... And for me, it was I always loved standup and I always loved comedy. And then finally one day I was like nothing else is making me happy, I may as well try it. And I did. And it worked." A quick heads up for our listeners. Alison speaks briefly about her own experience with abortion in this episode. If you need to avoid listening to that discussion, we recommend you skip the 23 minute and 45 second mark through to 31 minute and 45 second mark. Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Sydney Mann '18. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

A Hotelie in Paris starring on a Bravo TV Show Real Girlfriends In Paris and also running her own business? Yes, you heard us correctly. Adja Toure ’18 is a sparkling example of how to let a Cornell degree and fulfilling experiences along the way guide and garnish post-grad life. While soaking up her time in the Hotel School, Adja also worked her way up the ladder on the Slope Day planning committee, and got to perform with the Cornell University Chorus in places like Guatemala and Mexico before graduating a semester early. Embarking on e-commerce positions and entrepreneurship endeavors while navigating friendships AND the entertainment industry are all enticing points of this episode. You don’t want to miss hearing about her professor-stunning chocolate mousse either! Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Sydney Mann '18. Episode description written by Brenna Tosh '24. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

From her beginnings as a Rawlings Presidential Research Scholar, to joining a lab in CALS, to dancing on the dance team Urban Blaze, Alexis Wilson ’19 seemingly did it all as a Cornell student. Not only that, Alexis was also an instrumental member of Cornell’s Intergroup Dialogue Project.  Since her time at Cornell, she's completed an honors thesis related to environmental science that later got published in a journal, and is now pursuing a PhD at Stanford. In this episode of Fresh from the Hill, Alexis speaks on the many ways that Cornell gave her opportunities to branch out into new interests and areas of exploration on top of solidifying others already formed in her life.  Listen in on this inspiring and sentimental chat between host Sydney Mann ’18 and Alexis, a pair who moved from having a mentoring relationship to a vibrant friendship. Themes of environmental justice, interconnectedness, mutual support, diversity, and building community are all over this episode for you to enjoy and learn from.  Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Sydney Mann '18. Episode description written by Brenna Tosh '24. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

A professor. A writer. A Dean. A reader. An advisor. A humanist. Dr. Glenn Altschuler is the embodiment of an academic. Learn about his life and what propelled him to not “be the Jewish boy who never went north of 125th St.” in this compelling conversation with Sydney Mann '18. Get an insider's view of a storied five decade Cornell career,  with anecdotes of connection and relationships, and the importance of formal and personal education in life. “I just think that I was so blessed to spend my career interacting with Cornell undergraduates. I wouldn't have given it up for anything.” Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Sydney Mann '18 Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

It's time for a new series of Fresh from the Hill (finally!) The name of our new host may be familiar to you - that's because she was a guest on the podcast back in 2021! Get to know her better by revisiting that episode today (Check Your Privilege - original air date 8/18/21) and stay tuned for brand new episodes in the upcoming weeks with Sydney hosting.  Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Camila Salazar '16. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Revisit this spooky episode from 2021 with Cornell's de facto historian Corey Ryan Earle '07. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ From Halloween pranks to campus hauntings - tune in for tales of murder, mayhem, creepy classes and unsolved mysteries of Cornell’s spookier past from unofficial university historian Corey Ryan Earle ’07. This podcast was repurposed from a live online event that took place on 10/26/21. If you’re near a computer and would like to see the whole program with visuals, you can watch the recording here. Read the episode transcript. Check out prior Cornelliana with Corey videos. Listen to season one of Ten Fold More Wicked about Edward Rulloff. Fresh from the Hill is created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

Dana Lerner '14 is currently the co-producer of the revival of COMPANY. COMPANY was recently nominated for nine Tony Awards and won five, including best revival of a musical. As a producer, Dana was nominated and won best revival of a musical. Revisit this episode from 2019 to get an exclusive look behind the scenes of Broadway. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dana M. Lerner '14 is a Tony-nominated theater producer and entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Red Pelican Creative, LLC a social media consulting and management agency providing strategic advice and management consulting on social media, brand enhancement and development primarily in the live entertainment space . In this episode of Fresh from the Hill, Dana sits down with host Aaron Kominos-Smith '04 to chat about what life as a theater major at Cornell was like, how to get into the business side of theater, how Hamilton is changing the game in ticketing and subscription models, what it takes to be a Broadway producer, and how she got involved with the Tony-nominated show Indecent. Also hear about the numerous ways Dana stays involved with Cornell in her very limited free time! Learn more about Dana and Red Pelican Creative at  https://officialdml.com/ and https://redpelicancreative.com/.  Read the episode transcript. Created and produced by Amanda Massa. Music by Kia Albertson-Rogers '13, koa3@cornell.edu. Artwork by Chris Kelly. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

101.3 WKZB is Fall Church's only radio station. On Interview Hour, hosts Lauren and Peter interview the fascinating residents of Falls Church. Interview Hour is a completely fictional, improvised podcast, performed by Lauren Morrell and Peter Narby. In "Prance Therapy" (original air date 4/11/21), Lauren Morrell interviews Falls Church's hand washing timer, and then a psychotherapist with a deeply emotional approach to his sessions. Cornell alumnus Peter Narby '12 co-created this podcast, alongside Lauren Morrell. Read the episode transcript. *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

"Innovation and Insurance with Shruti Kothari," first aired November 8, 2021. Nakin Bhandari MHA '18, Freddy Terrazas Escamilla MHA '19, and Joseph De Los Santos MHA '19 sit down live in San Diego to bring in the sixth episode of BYOB: The Healthcare Podcast. The team speaks to Shruti Kothari on Innovation and Insurance, Shruti is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Blue Shield of California. Shruti shares a great perspective on what early careerists should think of when they are looking to pursue a new opportunity, start a new organization/company, and what she learned from working in the Venture Capital space. Additionally, Shruti shares how striking statistics in early seed funding compounded by events that affected the entire nation, moved her to elevate the voices of women of color and call attention to the staggeringly low number of executives who are women of color. Learn more about BYOB at their website. Read the episode transcript.  *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

"Why failing more should be your goal with Susan Danziger, Founder of Eutopia Holdings," first aired May 24, 2021.  Susan Danziger launched her first business to solve a problem, and hasn’t stopped since! From making books accessible on your commute to combating the climate crisis with Wally Farms, Susan is a serial Entreprenista and investor with a deep drive to positively impact her community. You’re about to hear the lessons she learned building her businesses, key tips for raising capital, and more. Check out the Entreprenista website for more episodes. Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Stephanie Cartin '06 & Courtney Spritzer.  *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.

"Gwen Whiting of The Laundress – Innovation, Big Risks, and Thinking Outside the Box," first aired March 23, 2020. Success as an Entreprenista involves innovation, taking big risks, and thinking outside the box. In the case of Gwen Whiting '98, Founder of The Laundress, a successful line of eco-friendly laundry and home products, it’s all of these. Inspired with an idea while working in the fashion industry at Ralph Lauren and trying to maintain her wardrobe while using the local laundromat, Gwen teamed up with her friend who had a complimentary skillset to create a solution. Gwen joins Socialfy co-founder Stephanie Cartin for a conversation about building her business and career, and describes her journey to success including how Gwen and her partner found money early on, from business loans to throwing for-profit parties, launching an e-commerce website over 15 years ago when Amazon was still a bookseller, the challenges of building an ecommerce brand and generating buzz in the pre-social media era, how The Laundress got  ahead of the market in creating detergents free of petroleum products (long before the trend of green eco-friendly products,) why the co-founders made a risky decision to fund the business by amassing considerable credit card debt rather than taking VC money, the process of selling the brand to Unilever, and why having the right lawyer and a team behind you during such a pivotal time mattered so much. Check out the Entreprenista website for more episodes.  Read the episode transcript. Hosted by Stephanie Cartin '06 *The views expressed by Fresh from the Hill hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Cornell University.